The French Connection: Music, Mas and Sweet Talk in the Caribbean

Biguine. J’ouvert. Doux-doux.

Three words, French in origin, yet deeply embedded in Caribbean culture.

You might be wondering, what does France have to do with the sunny islands of the Caribbean?

Well, although Spain and England were the most dominant powers during the colonial period, there’s no denying France’s lasting influence on Caribbean culture.

Let’s start with the music.

The Caribbean is the home and creative basin for a wide range of music genres.

However, very little is heard about the music of the French Caribbean--which is unfortunate considering its unique blend of French romance and African rhythms.

These subgenres include:

-Zouk: A genre that emerged in Martinique and Guadeloupe in the 1970s

-Gwoka: A traditional genre from Guadeloupe that uses the "ka" drum

-Biguine: A traditional genre from Guadeloupe

-Konpa: A popular genre that was influential in the French Caribbean in the 1970s

Next on the list of French contributions to Caribbean culture is Carnival.

This popular street festival—also commonly referred to as “mas”—came about in part due to the French tradition of hosting masquerade balls with music and dancing to usher in the Lenten season. As a symbol of resistance to the Europeans, African slaves incorporated elements of these festivities along with chants in their mother tongue, drums and decorative attire during a ritual known as “Cannes Brulee” or sugarcane burning.

First celebrated on the island of Trinidad in the late 18th century, Carnival is now celebrated throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as many part of the East Coast in the United States.

Last, but not certainly not least, is France’s influence on the Caribbean lexicon.

French is the official language, or is commonly spoken in nine Caribbean countries including Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Lucia. However, a lesser known fact is that patois was the official language in Trinidad & Tobago until the early 1900s. With the end of slavery and England asserting its authority over the islands, French creole/patois continued to be used as the lingua franca for purposes of trade and business. Eventually, Britain’s influence won out with compulsory education, since English was the language taught in schools and used by officials.

Education aside, elements of the romance language persist in Trinidad to this day. It is used when referencing popular folkloric characters such as la diablesse and the soucouyant. It might be overheard in rural parts of the country as a grandmother threatens to punish “Tout moun” for misbehaving. And it is ever present in the proverbial sweet talk among Trinis who might refer to a loved one as their “doux-doux dahlin”.

Do any of these aspects of Caribbean culture surprise you? Are you curious to learn more about the music, the language and history of the Caribbean? If so, follow my monthly series to learn more about our unique culture.